Yes, it has central air.
And as many a demon might say, there is “No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than central air.”
Those who recognize that quote from Jason Lee’s character, Azrael, in the 1999 Kevin Smith movie “Dogma” might be among those most interested in knowing there’s a chance to call one of the film’s locations home.
A New Kensington office building featured in two scenes early in the movie has been turned into a residence available for rent from Olde Towne Overhaul.
The one-story building, at the corner of Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue, was most recently at the epicenter of a local controversy when, last May, city officials rejected plans for a motorcycle club to use it as a clubhouse. Despite previously housing offices, the building’s zoning was changed from commercial to residential in 2001.
Olde Towne Overhaul, which has focused on buying, fixing and renting downtown New Kensington buildings for small businesses, bought the property from Citizens General Hospital in November 2020 for $25,000, according to Westmoreland County property records.
The building has been vacant since Olde Towne Overhaul bought it, said Michelle Thom, the group’s operations manager. Despite being surrounded by an asphalt parking lot, turning it into a home was the only way to do something useful with it, Olde Towne Overhaul owner Mike Malcanas said.
“We had no other choice because they (city officials) made it clear that no matter what business we suggested, they would not allow a commercial use,” Thom said.
The five-bedroom, three-bath house is listed on Zillow for $2,000 per month.
Unless one is familiar with “Dogma” and recognizes the building, there is nothing there reflecting its use in the movie. The interior is completely different, and the exterior recently was painted white. The building has a ramp to its front door that was not present when the movie was filmed.
The building and a parking lot across Sixth Avenue are the only New Kensington locations that appear in the movie, according to James Mahathey of Ross, who did location scouting for “Dogma” and still does location management.
“Dogma” was mostly filmed in and around Pittsburgh in 1998. Prominent locations include Pittsburgh International Airport, the former Sts. Peter and Paul Church on Larimer Avenue in East Liberty, the Grand Concourse restaurant at Station Square and the U.S. Steel Tower.
Marking its 25th anniversary this year, “Dogma” is considered by many to be Smith’s best film. It stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as angels banished to Wisconsin who find a loophole to get back into Heaven by entering a church in New Jersey, but doing so would destroy all of existence. The Voice of God (Alan Rickman) taps Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) to stop them.
The building plays the role of a women’s clinic in Illinois where Bethany works. It first appears when Janeane Garofalo’s character, Liz, walks past protestors and goes inside, where she talks with Bethany.
Lionsgate
A building in New Kensington is featured in the 1999 Kevin Smith film “Dogma.”
The interior scene was filmed inside the building, Mahathey said.
It appears shortly later when Bethany leaves the clinic alone at night and is attacked in the parking lot by Azrael’s minions, the Stygian Triplets, and is saved by Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith).
Lionsgate
A building in New Kensington is featured in the 1999 Kevin Smith film “Dogma.”
The script gave the basic idea of what was wanted for the women’s clinic, said Mahathey, who has worked in location management for 28 years.
“We go out and try to find what looks the best for a little, small clinic building. It was one of those things where that particular building just kind of fit what Kevin was looking for,” Mahathey said. “That one just happened to have the perfect vibe with the neighborhood around it.
“Having that parking lot nearby fit perfectly for that scene also,” he said.
If the building’s appearance in “Dogma” helps rent it, Malcanas said, they’re all for it.
“Maybe we’ll get a ‘Dogma’ fan,” he said. But, “We don’t want any demons renting our place.”
As for the motorcycle club, Olde Towne Overhaul found a home for it in one of their other buildings. The Vultures Motorcycle Club will be set up at 858 Fourth Ave. in the Elisabeth Blissell Building, across from Central City Plaza and previously home to the chamber of commerce.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
